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Birds

Blue-crowned
Motmot

Least Concern

Decreasing

Blue-crowned Motmot

Momotus momota

The Blue-crowned Motmot is a colourful bird found ususally in dense forest of Central America and Mexico. They posseses a heavy Bill. It nests in tunnels in banks, laying about three or four white eggs.

The Blue-crowned Motmot is 50 cm long and weighs about 145 gm. The tail is very long with a bare-shafted racket tip. The upperparts are green, shading to blue on the lower tail, and the underparts are green or rufous depending on subspecies.

In all except the entirely blue-crowned subspecies coeruliceps, the central crown is black and surrounded by a blue band. There is a black eyemask, and the nape of momota is chestnut. The call is a low owl-like ooo-doot, although there are variations depending on the subspecies involved.

These birds often sit still, and in their dense forest habitat can be difficult to see, despite their size. They eat small prey such as insects and lizards, and will also regularly take fruit.

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Regional Names
  • French:
    Motmot houtouc
  • Spanish:
    barranquero
Media Gallery
Taxanomy

CORACIIFORMES
MOMOTIDAE
Momotus momota

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